ON THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

Sermon shared by Larry Jacobs

ON THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

Summary: The disciples in this story were facing a Dilemma. It is easy to trust the Lord when we are sailing on the smooth sea of life and there are no clouds in view and the sun is shining and the birds are singing. But what about the storm?

Summary: The disciples in this story were facing a Dilemma. It is easy to trust the Lord when we are sailing on the smooth sea of life and there are no clouds in view and the sun is shining and the birds are singing. But what about the storm?

"ON THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA"Matt 14:22-33Speaking of Horns - I like what I heard one preacher says, "A lot of preaching is Long Horn preaching". A couple of points with a lot of bull in between. I hope my message this morning will not fall into that category.

We need to see the definition of the word "DELEMMA". The dictionary says, "A situation necessitating a choice between two disagreeable alternatives.

The disciples in this story were facing a Dilemma. It is easy to trust the Lord when we are sailing on the smooth sea of life and there are no clouds in view and the sun is shining and the birds are singing. But what about the storm?

B. I see on TV that one of the Oil Companies advertises their product as "TROUBLE FREE DRIVING". It just ain’t so. I have a better one: "TROUBLE FREE LIVING" The only problem is that just is not so either.

C. I hear preachers that say, "When a person become a child of God, He or she never encounters any trouble thereafter or never faces a storm on the sea of life? IT IS A LIE - IT JUST IS NOT TRUE.

Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

D. God never promised us we would miss the storms of life only that he would get us safely through to the other side.

T/S This passage give us a clear picture of how we are to respond when we face a dilemma. There are 8 tremendous facts about the DILEMMA the DISCIPLES FACED IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE.

I. THEY WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WILL OF GOD WHEN THIS DELEMA CAME.

V-22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

A. Notice the word "Constrained". That means that Jesus COMPELLED them to get in that boat and go to the other side. They were doing exactly what Jesus told (actually insisted) them to do when the Crisis came. Jesus sent them into the storm.

B. I don’t believe they wanted to go. They had just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000. Each Apostle had a basket of food (No preacher wants to leave when there is food around). That place had seen a miracle and the glory of God was all over the place and they didn’t want to leave and go anywhere. However, while they were doing just what Jesus had told them to do - they hit a storm.

C. The Apostle Paul is a great example of this. When he was in Galatia - things was going great. People were being saved. Churches was being established. Everyone was saying, "Boy, Paul is the most wonderful preacher in the world.". Then Paul had the Macedonian Vision. Surly they will be waiting on the shore with signs "Please share the gospel with us - we need to be saved." They dragged him outside the city and stoned him.

D. THE WINDS WERE CONTRARY. It was coming right in their face. There was strong opposition to them going and doing what Jesus had told